


Rosemary and Time

by fezwearingjellybananas



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Minor Barry/Iris and mentions of Cisco/Cynthia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 10:12:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15192572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fezwearingjellybananas/pseuds/fezwearingjellybananas
Summary: Rip paused. The Flash was laughing at him. Barry Allen, the Flash, the first time traveller, founding member of the Justice League, apparently the inventor of A.I., was laughing at him.“I realise it’s not really a worry for someone like you."“No, no, it’s not that,” the Flash said, and Rip was suddenly struck by how old his eyes were, and how ridiculous the situation he’d found himself in was.“It’s not that,” the Flash reiterated. “I'm sorry. But Gideon brought you here from the future because you’re having relationship troubles?"[In which a young Rip Hunter asks for some advice and instead gains a friend]





	Rosemary and Time

“And it’s against all the rules,” Rip said. “If Time Master Druce found out, if anyone found out-”

Rip paused. The Flash was laughing at him. Barry Allen, the Flash, the first Time Traveller (in a manner of speaking; chronology and who comes first was so complicated with time travel), founding member of the Justice League, apparently the inventor of A.I., was laughing at him.

“I realise it’s not really a worry for someone like you."

“No, no, it’s not that,” the Flash said, and Rip was suddenly struck by how old his eyes were, and how ridiculous the situation he’d found himself in was.

“It’s not that,” the Flash reiterated. “I'm sorry. But Gideon brought you here from the future because you’re having relationship troubles? And she thought I could help?”

“Can you not?”

“Yeah, I can tell you sometimes you think girls are just being nice but they’re actually flirting with you, and if you’re in love with your best friend, don’t wait a decade to tell her when she’s in a serious relationship with another man. I mean, I am now married to her, somehow, but it would probably have been a lot less complicated if I’d said something before I got struck by lightning.”

“But I can’t tell Miranda, there are rules for a reason.”

“There are some rules that are worth breaking,” the Flash smiled. “Trust me. You won’t know if you don’t talk to her.”

* * *

“I talked to her,” Rip said. The Flash smiled. “She’s incredible.”

“Good,” the Flash said. “You know where to find me if you need anymore advice, good or bad.”

* * *

The day Miranda left the Time Masters, Rip took the _Waverider_ to Central City.

“She’s gone,” he said. The Flash nodded. “They found out. I was going to resign, but she beat me to it.”

“A friend of mine worked for the Collectors of Earth-19,” the Flash said. “Her visiting was banned, but she still started a relationship with another friend of mine.”

“What happened?”

“They broke up for a little while. They wanted different things. But then there was an incident with his brother and her mother, and fighting side by side, they realised they still loved each other. They talked, they found a way to make it work, and now they’re married.”

“If I resign as well-”

“You don’t have to resign. But don’t give up either. Do you know where she is?”

“London, 2151. They’ll have taken her back as close to when she’s from as possible.”

“Do either of you remember a time before the Time Masters?”

“I remember starving. Stealing. Horse drawn carriages. They saved me.”

“I’m still not sure how I feel about them. Go and find her.”

* * *

“When are we going?” Miranda asked, laughing. Rip kissed her again.

“Gideon and I want to introduce you to someone,” he said.

“Who?”

“My father, Lieutenant Coburn,” Gideon said. “Captain Hunter has been asking him for relationship advice.”

“You have?”

“I was talking to myself one day, and Gideon decided I needed help,” Rip said. The _Waverider_ landed and he took Miranda’s hand. “He’s always on the same bench.”

Miranda followed as Rip lead her through the crowds. The Flash was in a shirt, with a bow tie. He smiled when he saw them.

“You must be Miranda,” the Flash said. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you. Hello, Rip.”

“You’re the Flash,” Miranda said. “You’re...”

“You can call me Barry,” the Flash said. Two blurs ran over and knocked him off his feet. He laughed at the two tiny children climbing on him.

“Daddy, did you see, Daddy?”

“I did, my beautiful babies.” He hugged them. “You’re so fast!”

“Race?”

“Maybe later, Nora.” He kissed her forehead. “We’ll go to the special racetrack.”

“Now, please? Please?”

“Why don’t you two come with us to S.T.A.R. Labs?” the Flash- Barry- said. “There are some people there who would love to meet you.”

* * *

The park was empty, except for Barry sitting on his bench, and Don and Nora tumbling around in the mud. Rain drizzled down, and Rip held out an umbrella.

“Won’t they get cold?” Rip asked.

“They don’t get to properly run outside much,” Barry said. “They don’t really understand why yet, but they know it’s important. But when it’s raining and everyone else is inside...”

Nora shrieked with glee as Don threw a clump of mud at her. She sped out the way, tiny flickers of purple lightning clinging to her.

“They like the park.” Barry turned to Rip and smiled. “I like seeing them happy. They start school in September, I’ll go back to work part-time then, it’s all been arranged with Captain Singh, and I have been running when Cisco and Wally call, or when I see something, but right now I just want to spend all the time I can with them. They’re only four once.”

Something in Barry’s voice seemed sad and Rip briefly wondered if he knew. He pushed the thought out of his head. He couldn’t warn him. The damage to the timeline could be catastrophic.

“You’ve got a new coat,” Barry said. “It’s nice. Very Old West.”

“I met a man named Jonah Hex in a town called Calvert in 1868.”

“You’ll have to tell me about it one day. No Miranda today?”

“I wanted to ask you something. I know we can’t get married, the Time Masters would find out, and neither of us exist, according to history, and-”

“And you love her and you want to show that to her,” Barry said. “You can still exchange vows. Maybe history won’t know, but we will. That’s what’s important.”

* * *

“Afternoon,” Barry said. His phone buzzed. “Frick.”

“Is everything all right?” Miranda asked.

“There’s something happening downtown, Cisco and Wally need me, I just- Actually, can you watch Nora and Don?”

“Us?” Rip asked.

“It’s all hands on deck, Cisco’s breached Marlize in to manage the S.T.A.R. Labs end, Iris is at work, they need me.”

“Of course we can,” Miranda said.

“Thank you. Don, Nora!”

The twins were at Barry’s side faster than Rip could blink.

“Uncle Cisco needs my help,” he said. “I want you to stay with Rip and Miranda, understand?”

“Want to go with you,” Nora said.

“I know, baby, but I need you to stay here and watch the park. Okay?”

“Okay, Daddy,” Don said.

“That’s my boy.” He kissed Don’s forehead, then Nora’s. “I’ll be back in a flash.”

Barry disappeared and Nora climbed up onto the bench. Don sat next to her.

“Don?” Miranda asked. “Nora?”

* * *

“Thank you,” Barry said. He hugged them both. “Thank you.”

“Any time,” Miranda said.

“I’m sure we can find a way if you want to stick around in this time period,” Barry said. “Did you two need something?”

“No,” Rip said. “We just came to tell you we’re going to get married.”

“Oh, wonderful. Congratulations, both of you.”

“We were hoping you might be there,” Miranda said.

Barry smiled.

* * *

“The Flash walked me down the aisle,” Miranda said. “I didn’t even think we’d get an aisle.”

“Cisco’s skills at last minute wedding planning didn’t make the history books,” Rip said. “That was...”

“That was incredible.” Miranda kissed him. “You know what comes next, don’t you?”

“We only watched Don and Nora for a few minutes,” Rip said. “But I think so too.”

* * *

“This is Jonas,” Rip said. Barry gasped and gently took the little bundle.

“Oh, he’s beautiful. You know you two are going to have to come to dinner tonight, Iris will never forgive me if she doesn’t get to meet Jonas too.”

* * *

“We really were serious about you moving here,” Cisco said. “If you really want, it would help if we had someone in S.T.A.R. Labs. I know Barry’s almost perfected that A.I. he’s been making-”

“Gideon,” Barry said. “Her name is Gideon. She wants her middle name to be Iris.”

“Well, she’s definitely your kid,” Cisco said. “We mean it, Miranda, whatever’s happening, it’s safer here. You too, Rip, if you ever want to settle down.”

“The Time Masters will be watching too closely,” Miranda said. “They don’t interfere with speedsters, time wraiths are too dangerous, but the Age of Heroes is too important for them not to watch. They’ll know.”

“Let us know if you change your mind,” Iris said.

* * *

“I guess I should stop worrying,” Rip said.

“Rip, I guarantee you you will never stop worrying,” Barry said. “He’s your son. Don tried to eat soap yesterday, Iris and I called Joe in a panic. He laughed at us and told Iris she tried to eat far worse than soap.” Barry laughed and Rip really focused. He was so young. His eyes didn’t even have wrinkles yet. He’d seemed like this ageless immortal legend when Rip had met him, back when he was barely more than a teenager, but now he was older, only a few years off Barry’s scrapings of thirty-five, a father to a boy older than Barry’s twins...

Barry was so young.

“Trust me,” Barry said. “Jonas adores you. That means, whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it right.”

* * *

Iris was sat on the bench. Don and Nora were curled up either side of her.

“Iris, we’re so sorry,” Rip said. “We’re so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Iris said. “Barry already knew. When we were younger, Eobard Thawne showed us today’s newspaper. We all thought we could find a way to prevent it, but Barry couldn’t see another way to save the world. You couldn’t have changed anything, and we both know how dangerous it is to try. We’re having a memorial service next week. I think he’d like for you to be there.”

* * *

Rip sobbed, back against the console in the Waverider. He’d tried everything. He’d tried so hard.

Miranda, Jonas...

“Captain Hunter, I have a standing request to open Doctor Raymond Palmer’s file,” Gideon said.

“A request?” Rip asked. He stood up and looked down.

Ray Palmer, the Atom, superhero, friend to Barry Allen, frequent recluse from 2015 to 2024. Enough history wouldn’t notice him disappearing for a few months.

“Gideon, plot a course to the Vanishing Point.”

**Author's Note:**

> Rosemary and Time is a play off "rosemary and thyme", from the chorus of Scarbourgh Fair. The "she was once a true love of mine" line seemed to fit, and the melody.


End file.
